Downtown Master Plan | City of Bishopville, SC

Bishopville, located in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina, boasts a historic and walkable downtown rich in cultural resources. Home to the authentic topiary art of Pearl Fryar and the Lizard Man Stomp, a local festival celebrating the legend of the Lizard Man, Bishopville is unique. Despite its heritage, the city faces challenges, including deteriorating structures, vacancies, and declining retail activity. In response, Bishopville has taken proactive steps to revitalize downtown, such as purchasing and stabilizing vacant historic properties and transforming the former rail depot into an event pavilion.

Our team in partnership with Thomas & Hutton and Fred Delk, engaged the community in a two-day charrette to gather input and create the Bishopville Downtown Master Plan. The resulting plan focuses on leveraging cultural assets, enhancing infrastructure, and fostering a vibrant downtown that attracts residents and visitors alike.

The Bishopville Downtown Master Plan outlines catalyst projects for revitalization. Immediate plans include hiring a Main Street/Economic Development Director, stabilizing historic buildings, implementing traffic calming measures, and developing open spaces along the abandoned rail bed. Short-term goals feature creating a Depot Park with a Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden Walk and rerouting truck traffic. Long-term projects aim to build new parking areas and fully enforce truck rerouting to improve the pedestrian experience.

Bishopville Downtown Master Plan